Longitudinally adjustable legs, for example for seats, stools, or the like



c. CORNELIUSSEN ET AL 2,600,735 LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE LEGS, FOR EXAMPLE FOR SEATS, STOOLS, OR THE LIKE June 17, 1952 2 SHEETSSl-1EET 1 Filed Oct. 17, 1949 INVENToRS:

ATTO R N Y June 1952 c. CORNELIUSSEN ET AL 2,600,735

LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE LEGS, FOR EXAMPLE FOR SEATS, STOOLS, OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 1'7, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 7" l 5 l I I l l l 5 17 INVENTORS.

C l bmeh'ussen Wk Eyh ns Cvrneh'ussen 7 mum, M 0

ATTo R N 57 Patented June 17, 1952 LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE LEGS, FOR EXAMPLE FOR SEATS, STOOLS, OR THE LIKE Carl Corneliussen and Erling Corneliussen,

Sandefjord, Norway Application October 17, 1949, Serial No. 121,804

. In Norway April 29, 1948 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to legs, for example a leg for a seat, stool or other analogous purposes, of the type adapted to be varied as to its length. A leg according to the invention is of the type comprising a standard, for example in the shape of a tube, that is displaceably mounted within a sleeve or another tube, so that these two members may be telescopically displaced in relation to each other, in order to vary the effective length of the leg.

A number of seat legs and other legs of this type is known. Some of these comprise such means as threaded nuts etc. for interlocking of the two members in desired relative positions thereof, and others comprise other types of looking means.

The present invention relates to special arrangements in connection with a certain type of locking means between the standard and the sleeve, and this arrangement consists of an automatically acting locking device which in maximum adjusted position of the two members brings the lock in such position that the two members may be freely displaced in both directions relatives to each other, according to desire.

The type of locking means used in the invention comprises a disc having a close fit around the standard and being supported at one side only in such manner that the disc has a free position with its plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the standard and has a locking position when the disc by means of spring pressure is brought into an oblique position. As already mentioned such locking means are generally known, and the invention consists in special means for locking the device in free position and for releasing the same when desired.

Arrangements wherebt the locking disc is moved into free position when the leg is extended to its full length are previously known in connection with other types of locking devices for such legs, but these known arrangements are very complicated and costly in manufacture. The present invention provides a very simple arrangement for this purpose, and is characterized by a lever which is pivotally mounted on the sleeve and which has a locking latch or the like adapted to be moved into position below the disc and maintain the latter in its free position.

Said pivotally mounted lever may, according to a further feature of the invention, be provided with means that are directly or indirectly acted upon by a projection on the standard when the latter is brou ht into its other end position,

whereby the locking disc is released. The arrangement according to the invention thus acts so that, when starting with the disc in locking position, the leg may be extended without hindrance, whereas shortening of the effective length of the leg may take place only when the leg has been extended to its maximum length, whereby the locking disc is raised to free position and is locked therein by the pivotally mounted lever. In this position the leg may be shortened, and when the leg has obtained its shortest eifective length the pivotally mounted arm is so acted upon that the locking disc again assumes its locking position.

In order that the invention may be easily understood the same will below be described in connection with the drawings, which illustrate different embodiments thereof.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention partly in vertical section, and

Figure 2 shows another embodiment thereof, also in part in vertical section.

Numeral l designates one member of the leg. This member carries a sleeve 3 into which is telescopically inserted a standard rod 2, which forms the other member of the leg.

Within the sleeve 3 is provided a disc 4 enclosing the standard 2 with a close fit, which disc is mounted within the sleeve by means of a projection 6' that enters an opening 6 in the sleeve 3. The disc thus is supported at one side only and will have a tendency to take an inclined position, as indicated on Figure 2, when a load is applied to the standard 2. In such position the disc is pressed against the standard 2 and locks the standard againstmovement downwards in relation to the sleeve 3, whereas movement of the standard 2 upwards in relation to the sleeve 3 may freely take place.

In order to ensure that the locking disc i shall at any time seek to take an inclined position. as illustrated on Figure 2, special arrangements may be provided, for example a coiled spring I that surrounds the standard 2 and acts against one side part of the disc 4 through an obliquely cut sleeve 8 (Fig. 1) or directly against the disc (Fig. 2)

The invention consists in the special arrangement serving to ensure that the disc 4 always occupies and maintains such position as is desired at any time. For this purpose a lever 9 is pivotally supported at In on the sleeve 3. Lever 9 has a portion, for example in the shape of a nose I I, that may be swung into the sleeve 3 below the disc 4 when the latter is in free position,

that is, with its plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the standard 2. For brin ing the disc 4 from the position shown on Figure 2 to the position shown on Figure 1 there is, in a manner known per se, provided flange IT or another projection at the lower end of the standard 2. When the standard 2 is raised sufficiently such flange or projection will engage the under side of the disc 4 and raise the disc 50 that the nose I I may unhindered swing into position below the disc 4 and thus lock the latter in free position.

Swinging movement of the lever 9 may be obtained by spring action, for example in the manner illustrated on Figure 1, where an extra sleeve i3 is provided within the sleeve 3, between the standard 2 and the sleeve 3, and a coiledspring I is provided within the sleeve I3 and abuts against the member 8. The sleeve I3 is axially movable with respect to the sleeve .3 and also the standard 2. An arm I2 of lever 9 projects into the sleeve 3 and is received in a cut-out in the sleeve I3, so that raising of the disc 4 by means of the flange I] will, through the member 8, cause a spring action to be exerted against the sleeve I3, which action is transferred to the arm I2 and swings the nose II below the disc 4. Another embodiment for this purpose is illustrated on Fig. 2, where the lever I8 is provided with an upward extension or arm I9, that is acted upon by a spring I4, in such manner that the lever I8 seeks to swing its member I I below the disc 4.

The locking disc 4 is, according to the invention, released and swung from the position shown on Figure 2 to the position shown on Figure 1 when the standard 2 is moved down to the lowermost position, in free position of the disc 4. In the embodiment shown on Fig. 1 this takes place because the stool seat I6 or another projection provided at the top end of standard 2 upon downward movement of the standard abuts against the top edge of sleeve I3, whereby the sleeve I3 is pushed downwards within the sleeve 3 and acts upon arm I2 of lever 9, so that the latter swings counterclockwise and releases the disc 4.

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment for this purpose where the top portion of standard 2 has secured thereto a downwardly open cone I5, which when the standard is moved down to its lowermost position hits the upward extension I9 of lever I8, whereby the lever is swung counterclockwise and the nose I I slips out of its engagement below the disc 4.

We claim:

1. A longitudinally adjustable leg for a seat or stool and the like, comprising a sleeve, a standard slidably mounted within said sleeve, a look within the sleeve, said lock consisting of a disc closely fitting around said standard and being supported at one side only in said sleeve whereby said disc has a free position with its plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the standard, spring means around said standard contacting said disc to move said disc into an oblique locking position, a projection on said standard at its lower end to engage said disc and to move said disc from its oblique locking position to its free position, a lever pivotally mounted on said sleeve, and a locking latch on an end of said lever adapted to be moved into position below the disc and maintain the latter in its free position.

2. A longitudinally adjustable leg, a claimed in claim ,1, and including an arm on said lever,

a projection on the top end of said standard, said projection upon contact with said arm pivoting said lever and releasing said locking latch from said disc whereby said locking disc is moved into spring urged, oblique locking position.

3. A longitudinally adjustable leg, as claimed in claim .2, said projection at the top end of said standard having the shape of a downwardly open cone, said arm on said lever being insertable in said cone and turnable thereby upon downward movement of said standard for release of the locking latch.

,1. A longitudinally adjustable leg, as claimed in claim 1, and including an arm on said lever, a spring actuated sleeve within said first named sleeve, said arm on said lever being in the form of a nose, an opening in said spring actuated sleeve, said nose being located in said opening, raising of said disc creatin spring pressure on said spring actuated sleeve and thereupon an edge of said opening contacting and moving said nose on said lever whereby said lever is pivoted and the locking latch is swung into engagement with said disc and the locking disc is maintained in free position.

CARL CORNELIUSSEN. ERLING CORNELIUSSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,845 Worthington Feb. 18, 194? 326,695 Wardwell Sept. 22, 1885 1,447,519 Schade Mar. 6, 1923 2,051,969 Shastock Aug. 25, 1936 2,363,229 Cade Nov. 21, 1944 2,483,395 Benson Oct. 4, 1949 2,502,007 Hawkins Mar. 28, 1950 

